This invention relates to the pteridines generally, and more particularly, to pteridine derivatives bearing the particular alkylating moiety in the 6-position on the pteridine nucleus as hereinafter more fully disclosed. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical preparations containing the aforesaid pteridine derivatives as well as methods for treating cancers employing pteridines.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,957 and 4,374,987 describe procedures for preparing pteridine compounds including the anticancer drug methotrexate which possesses the structure ##STR5##
N-P-([2,4-diamino-6-pteridinyl)-methyl]methylamino)benzoyl glutamic acid and analogous compounds such as aminopterine ##STR6##
Methotrexate has in recent years become a prominent drug in the treatment of a variety of cancers (C. B. Pratt, et al., Cancer Chemother. Rep., Part 3, 6, 13 (1975), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, and references cited).